"If you find your true nature in practice, or if you think the practice itself is your true nature, that is enlightenment." - Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

What does awakening mean to you? As gay men exploring a sense of meaning, purpose, and spirituality, we may find ourselves caught between various influences: homophobia from the surrounding culture; active engagement with our own community; and our own spiritual values. What does it mean to wake up to our own true nature, sense of being, and loving kindness as gay men?

This workshop will look at the intersection between personal growth and awakening. We will provide some guided meditations from Zen and other Buddhist practices to help you access your own sense of awakening to the present moment.

We will offer some practical techniques to avoid getting caught up in everyday reactivity, and help you "settle your mind in its natural state." We will also share practices to cultivate both wisdom and compassion, considered the “two wings” of awakening.

Join us as we explore this “deep dive” into the heartfelt wisdom of awakening to our full experience as gay men!

Lunch: We welcome you to bring your vegetarian lunch into our dining room or eat in our courtyards during our lunch break.

Fees: $60; $54 current SFZC members; $48 limited income

Registration: Use the Ticket Table below to register online. To register by phone, call our toll free number 888.743.9362 or our local number 415.475.9362.

*NOTE about CEUs: Five (5) CEU’s available for MFT’s and LCSW’s. BBS Provider #PCE 3978. A CE administrative fee of $15 should be paid at time of registration. For more information, please contact our Programming Department. For some events San Francisco Zen Center and the Spiritual Competency Resource Center team together to offer CE credit to MFTs, LCSWs, psychologists and nurses. SRZC offers CE credit to MFTs and LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (provider #PCE1851). SCRC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education activities for psychologists. SCRC maintains responsibility for these programs and their content. SCRC also offers CE credit to nurses (California Board of Registered Nursing Provider #CEP11909). For complete information visit their web site or contact David Lukoff, Ph.D. at 707.763.3576.

Related Bio(s):

Kanzan David ZimmermanKanzan David Zimmerman has been practicing Zen for 20 years and was ordained by Rev. Teah Strozer in 2006. Having spent eight years at Tassajara, where he held a number of positions including guest manager, meditation hall manager and director, he now lives at City Center where he is Program Director. He supports Dr. Lee Lipp with classes and workshops on "Transforming Depression and Anxiety."

Rik IsenseeRik Isensee, LCSW, is the author of three self-help books for gay men. He also wrote Shift Your Mood, which looks at the intersection between mindfulness and personal growth. Rik was initially exposed to mindfulness in a workshop with Joseph Goldstein during Naropa’s first summer institute in 1974. Rik practices psychotherapy in San Francisco.